Chapter 1: How I Got Here
Chapter 1: How I got here…
When I was a filly I had these ridiculous aspirations of becoming an Admiral in the New Lunar Navy. I had fantasized that one day there would be a massive battle where I was the hero, the lone wolf, who saved the day. My father was the Captain of the NLR Frigate Comet. He would always give me special access to one of the debris cannons and I would have my fun blasting away bits of space debris. My familiarity of the systems grew as time progressed and one day I even created my own miniature automated debris cannon.
The day I had finished construction of that automated cannon was the day I gained my cutie mark, a defense turret. You could not believe how surprised my father was, he was raving about it for weeks. My mother on the other hand, she was not the same pony as my father. She was the Chief Medical Officer, entirely opposed to the violence that my cutie mark had represented in her eyes. She had always told me, “Burning Dawn, remember, violence is the road most traveled and the road most beaten.” She always advocated peace and pacifism.
When I had reached the age requirement I enlisted in the New Lunar Navy, attempting to fulfill that earlier mentioned dream. I was 16. I was entirely oblivious to the mental and physical tests that basic training would throw at me. It was tiring and gruesome. That’s when I acquired my potty mouth, that’s where I became all to used to putting “Fuck,” “Shit,” and “Cocksucker” into my basic vocabulary. Of course, mother did not approve but I no longer gave a rat’s ass.
Years passed and I was assigned to the 16th Planet Cracker Fleet, 2nd wing, Raptor Squadron. I had rose in rank by time progression and sparse combat experience, thought the government won’t admit it the Solar Resistance was still very active.
This is where my story begins, June 8th, in Celestial sector 4, adjacent to Luna sector 26, aboard the NLRPC Maramura.
It was another routine day. I woke up to the morning shift alarms, an annoying yet soothing sound of intermittent bursts of loud low pitch noise. I got up, I turned the alarm off, I brushed my teeth, took my shower, got dressed, poured coffee. My ADMS, oh, I forgot to explain what an ADMS is.
Advanced Data Monitoring System, or Adams for short. It is a device created by Lunatech used with military and specialty personnel to monitor life systems, environmental system, navigation, and other various interfaces that may link to the device, such as advanced weaponry. Best part, integrated levitation systems, I can levitate shit using my mind! And I'm a Goddess Damned Pegasus.
Anyways, my ADMS lit up as I linked it to my uniform. And thus I left for my shift, levitating coffee on my left, a checklist on my right. I took the tram to my station at the securities office on the bridge.
My day continued mostly as routine, only today we were receiving special cargo. A recent excavation team to Marecury in Celestial sector 5 discovered a “Relic.” Fucking religious fanatics raved about it, said it was their final salvation and shit like that.
The cargo platform on which the “Relic” was hitched to docked rather awkwardly, as if a recruit were flying the thing. That’s when the shit went to hell.
“Burning, go down to Hanger Bay 13 and greet our new guests. I’m sure you know what to do,” said Cpt. Flow, “And bring a fireteam with you.”
At that I proceeded to Hanger Bay 13. My fireteam met me there, fully armed and prepared for battle. I didn’t entirely understand the concern but I did not question it, better safe than sorry right?
I took the comm system and messaged the cargo platform, “Cargo vessel, you are cleared to disembark your ship and unload your cargo, welcome to the Maramura.” There was no response.
I repeated my message and again, no response.
What in Luna’s name is the crew doing in there, horn fucking or something?
At that I moved to the airlock, I signaled my team to take defensive positions around the ship.
I opened the airlock, I wish I hadn’t. The interior of the vessel was dark crimson, drops of rusty liquid falling from the ceiling. I walked inside. There were disembodied limbs and meat scattered across the floor. I heard a noise, a whimper. “Scratch, Laser, get in here, secure this vessel.” As soon as Scratch, my fireteam leader, stepped one hoof in the ship he puked. I would have too if I hadn’t gotten used to it during my tour in the rebellion pacification campaigns.
I foal was curled in a fetal position in the far corner of the bridge. She was mumbling about claws, change, and her father. Whatever happened in that cargo platform was not natural.
I stepped out of the cargo platform and proceeded to the internal comm system. I radioed the bridge, “We have a major problem, send two fireteams to assist, the crew is dead.”
“What do you mean the crew is dead,” responded the bridge comm, “What happened?”
“I don’t know, we also have a foal, the only survivor. Send a medical team as well.”
One of the fireteam personnel overheard, Aurora, “Wait, the whole fucking crew is dead? How the hell did that happen?”
“You want to see the interior.”
“Fuck no! I can see enough from here.”
The foal climbed out, her coat a dark crimson, stained by blood. Entrails were hanging from her left hind-hoof, she didn’t even take notice.
What could have done that? The foal had neither the physical capability nor the tools to obliterate and dismember a crew of 6. Security went on high alert.
Authorization code: LTS4989053-C59
Division: NLR Navy, 16th Planet Cracker Fleet,
2nd Wing, Raptor Squadron, Flight Group A
Rank: Gunnery Sergeant
Specialization: Tactical/Security Systems
Name: Dawn, Burning
Age: 27
Race: Pegasus
Status: Contained
Dark Space: Maramura
By: Minty Twist
“Welcome back to the land of the living Ms. Dawn. You’ve been officially dead for 2 hours.”
“Where am I? What the fuck is going on?”
“Always with the Vulgar, I win the bet again. Winter owes me 50 bits. You are on Macintosh station, in Luna sector 19. Do you recall anything that has happened in the past week?”
“No, maybe, why should I tell you?”
“Because, this has been a recurring cycle. I’ll be blunt. You have died 13 times on this station in the past month trying to escape this facility while all we have tried to do is find out what happened on the NLRPC Maramura. I’m getting tired of this.”
“You’re Dr. Grace aren’t you?”
“Yes Ms. Dawn, I am.”
I suppose I should start with an introduction before continuing my story. My name is Burning Dawn, I am… I was a tactical specialist aboard the New Lunar Republic Planet Cracker Maramura.
The stallion in front of me is Dr. Red Grace, a psycho-analyst that has been treating me since the Incident, which happened a month ago.
I am a mare with a black coat and red mane.
Dr. Grace is a unicorn stallion with a pure white coat and a brown mane with strips of teal, an odd combination no doubt.
“Now this time could you tell me what happened on the Maramura without trying to kill me first?”
I tried to punch him for that, but to my surprise, I had been strapped down to the chair I was sitting in. That just made me all the angrier.
“Shit, well, it doesn’t seem like I can just trot away. Where would I even begin?”
“Let’s start with morning of. You woke up, drank your coffee, trotted to you station, watched monitors for half the day, then what?”
Then what? That is the big fucking question.
Authorization code: LTS4989053-C59
Division: NLR Navy, 16th Planet Cracker Fleet,
2nd Wing, Raptor Squadron, Flight Group A
Rank: Gunnery Sergeant
Specialization: Tactical/Security Systems
Name: Dawn, Burning
Age: 27
Race: Pegasus
Status: Contained
